Have you used websites like Seatwave or Viagogo?
So, this is the 1000th post of the Musical Chairs. I’ve been writing on this thing for just over two years about anything that takes my interest and have enjoyed it immensely. I appreciate all the hits I get and all the good comments I get from visitors. But now, after providing you with 999 posts of various shenanigans, I need you to do something for me.
Some regular readers will know that I am a university student and I am now in the final few months of my BA Honours Journalism degree, fresh off handing in a very long dissertation. For my final project I am considering doing something about ticket touting for a feature piece; more specifically about companies like Seatwave or Viagogo who market themselves as well-used, well-respected and industry backed (in some cases) ticket re-selling companies. The article, if I decide to do it, is to establish whether or not these companies are genuinely the real deal or whether or not they are ripping off people in terms of the overall experience – ticket cost, reliability, customer service, hidden costs etc.
I am looking for people who have used any of these types of sites (please don’t state eBay) to comment on their own experiences of using them. It can be good or bad feedback but I will need the following information:
- The concert you bought a ticket for.
- The website you used.
- How the transaction was carried.
- The price of the ticket (if you can, state how it breaks down so ticket price, booking fees and so on).
- How long it took for your ticket to arrive.
- Did your ticket differ from the description?
- If you had any problems, how helpful were customer service?
- Any other feedback from your experience.
If you’ve had an experience with Seatwave or Viagogo and want to help me in my research, leave a comment on this post with your real name, as opposed to some alias you use on other parts of the internet, where you are from and detail your experience based on the above points. Unfortunately, I can only accept people from the UK for the purposes of this investigation. If you don’t feel comfortable posting a comment, feel free to e-mail me at raymondm[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk.
Thanks!
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Posted on February 9th, 2010 by Max
Filed under: Features, Gigs
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1. The concert you bought a ticket for.
I have bought several concert tickets in both viagogo and seatwave, but the last one was a pair of tickets for Lilly Allen at the O2.
2. The website you used.
I used viagogo.co.uk because I had used before for Manchester United tickets, Chelsea tickets and a concert for Madonna. I did not use Seatwave as I had bought tickets for Depeche Mode through them and the tickets never arrived nor they had contacted me to inform me of any problem.
3. How the transaction was carried.
The transaction on viagogo went very smooth. I received a confirmation email the second after I bought my two L.Allen tickets with clear instructions of what was happening next, ways to contact customer service and even a tracking number to see where my tickets were.
4. The price of the ticket (if you can, state how it breaks down so ticket price, booking fees and so on).
I paid 30£ all inclusive for each of the tickets, so 60£ in total.
5. How long it took for your ticket to arrive.
The tickets were bought last Friday night and they arrived this morning on the post. So it took the tickets 2 working days to arrive.
6. Did your ticket differ from the description?
No, the ticket was exactly as I bought it: General Admission tickets for Lilly Allen at the O2.
7. If you had any problems, how helpful were customer service?
No, I did not have any problems at all with the tickets and I actually received a call from viagogo indicating a change of hour of the event (doors are opening half an hour earlier) so I am very pleased with the service I have received through all the time with them.
8. Any other feedback from your experience.
Will use viagogo again but will never use seatwave. Still waiting for my tickets to arrive, impossible to get in touch with them and impossible to know what happened with the tickets. Yes to viagogo, big NO to seatwave.
Hey Raymond,
I can’t say that I’ve used either service before, but thanks for bringing this up and good luck with your feature paper. I’ll be sure to share your inquiry with the Live Fix community, too!
Chris
[...] is a quick post to help out a fellow blogger and live music fan Max Raymond. On his site The Musical Chairs he posted about needing help with some research and reader feedback from live music fans, so I [...]
Hi Raymond
Would like to tell you about my experience with Seatwave:
In November 2009 I purchased two tickets (£74) for a morrissey gig at liverpool echo arena. This was the gig that after 1 1/2 songs some idiot through a glass at morrissey who then walked off and cancelled the gig.
After returning I then contacted seatwave who said (like all other legitimate ticket agents) they would refund tickets, I then recieved a claim form from them and proceeded to post the complete form along with ticket stubs from the gig. To this date I have tried to contact them numerous times, namely :
3/12/09 – response was they are processing the claims
8/12/09 – they had not recieved my claim form (said on the bottom of the form “please send to mondial insurance c/o seatwave” who apparently are the insurance company).
14/12/09 – yes they had re-directed my claim form (along with numerous others i suspect!!) and had recieved this.
4/1/10 – they are in dispute with the insurance company. Surely this isnt my problem as my contract was between seatwave and myself.
15/1/10 – All issues are resolved and refunds would be sent out within the end of the month.
16/2/10 – “Sorry all the claims department are out but we will get someone to phone you before the end of the day” – yeah right!!
23/2/10 – We are looking into this and someone will call you back within the hour- no call again!!
24/2/10 – Appologised for not calling back, when I asked to speak to the ladys (kerims’) manager, apparently no managers were in the office but as soon as they do get in they will call my mobile within 2 hours!!
At the moment I am tearing my hair out and am (£74) out of pocket which I look like losing.
This business comes across as being legit but from my experience it comes across as the most unprofesionally ran company I know who are ok and helpful when they’re having your money but after that they are a disgracel.
I for one won’t be dealing with them again.
I hope this helps your project and if it gets a message across to just a few potential customers I hope it makes them think again when using Seatwave.
Regards